Editing Social theory (section)

==In academic practices==
Social theory seeks to question why humans inhabit the world the way they do, and how that came to be by looking at power relations, social structures, and  social norms,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Modern social theory : an introduction|date=2005|publisher=Oxford University Press|others=Harrington, Austin, 1970-|isbn=9780199255702|location=Oxford|oclc=56608295}}</ref> while also examining how humans relate to each other and the society they find themselves in, how this has changed over time and in different cultures,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Contemporary social theory : an introduction|author=Elliott, Anthony|date=2009|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9780415386333|location=London|oclc=232358185}}</ref> and the tools used to measure those things. Social theory looks to [[interdisciplinarity]], combining knowledge from multiple academic disciplines in order to enlighten these complex issues,<ref name=":0" /> and can draw on ideas from fields as diverse as [[anthropology]] and [[media studies]].

Social theory guides scientific inquiry by promoting scientists to think about which topics are suitable for investigation and how they should measure them. Selecting or creating appropriate theory for use in examining an issue is an important skill for any researcher. Important distinctions: a ''theoretical orientation'' (or [[paradigm]]) is a worldview, the lens through which one organizes experience (i.e. thinking of human interaction in terms of power or exchange). A ''theory'' is an attempt to explain and predict behavior in particular contexts. A theoretical orientation cannot be proven or disproven; a theory can.

Having a theoretical orientation that sees the world in terms of power and control, one could create a theory about violent human behavior which includes specific causal statements (e.g. being the victim of physical abuse leads to psychological problems). This could lead to a [[hypothesis]] (prediction) about what one expects to see in a particular sample, e.g. "a battered child will grow up to be shy or violent". One can then test the hypothesis by looking to see if it is consistent with [[data]]. One might, for instance, review hospital records to find children who were abused, then track them down and administer a personality test to see if they show signs of being violent or shy. The selection of an appropriate (i.e. useful) theoretical orientation within which to develop a potentially helpful theory is the bedrock of social science.

=== Example of questions posed by social theorists ===
Philosophical questions addressed by social thinkers often centered around [[modernity]], including:
* Can human reason make sense of the social world and shape it for the better?
* Did the development of modern societies, with vast inequalities in wealth among citizens, constitute progress?
* How do particular government interventions and regulations impact natural social processes?
* Should the economy/market be regulated or not?
Other issues relating to modernity that were addressed by social thinkers include [[Atomism (social)|social atomization]], [[Social alienation|alienation]], [[loneliness]], [[social disorganization]], and [[secularization]].